Traveling bag catch and lock



C. 29, 1935. Ml Bl SHWAYDER ET A| v 2,019,276

TRAVELING BAG CATCH AND` LQCK Filed Feb. 2l, 1955 INVENT OR.

Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAVELING BAG CATCH AND LOCK Application February 21, 1935, Serial No. 7,542

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a luggage catch and lock, and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this character which will have a clamping or drawing action to draw the two parts of a luggage frame together during the locking operation, so as to assist in closing the luggage.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a simple and efficient catch device which will resist unauthorized tampering; which can not become accidentally unfastened; which will clamp a traveling bag or other luggage tightly closed so as to avoid rattling and looseness; and which will be economical to manufacture and attractive in use.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the top of a typical traveling bag, illustrating the invention in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved catch and lock in the locked position.

Fig. 3 is a. similar view illustrating the invention in the unlocked position.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section therethrough, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view looking upwardly, with the bottom plate removed, illustrating the mechanism in the unlocked position.

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the catch in the locked position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, with the locking disc removed.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the cam action of the device in drawing the two parts together.

In the drawing: a typical traveling bag is indicated at 9 with its outer frame member at Il). The improved catch is attached to and acts through the outer frame member IIJ. It is preferred to place one of the catches adjacent each extremity of the traveling bag I0, and entirely eliminate the usual central lock therefrom.

The invention comprises an open bottomed lock housing II terminating at its extremities in attachment ears I2 which, when the lock is in place, pass through slots in the frame I 0, and are turned (Cl. 'T0-2) therebeneath, as shown in Fig. 4, to hold the catch in place. The bottom of the housing is covered by means of a bottom plate I3 which serves to hold the inner mechanism in place until it has been installed upon the frame I0. 5

The mechanism comprises: a locking shaft I4, the upper extremity of which passes through the housing II and is secured in a handle I5. The lower or inner extremity of the shaft I4 is reduced in diameter and secured in a locking lever I6. 10 At the points of attachment to the handle I5 and the lever I6, the sides of the shaft are preferably flattened as indicated at I'I to prevent rotation of the shaft relative tov these members.

A latch cam I8 surrounds the shaft I4 adja- 15 cent the inner face of the housing II. This cam is formed with a locking notch I9 and a stop notch 20. It is also provided with a point 2I which engages the inside of the housing II to limit the movements of the handle I5. A slide 20 22 is mounted on the outer face of the housing II and provided with two ears 23 which extend through longitudinally extending elongated openings in the housing, to allow longitudinal movement thereof, and are then clamped or turned 25 beneath a latch plate 24 on the inner face of the housing. h

'I'he latch plate is formed with a pawl tongue 25 which engages the notches I9 and 20 of the cam I8 in the locked and unlocked positions, respec- 30 tively.

A locking disc 26 is placed below the latch plate 24. The disc 26 is formed with a key boss 21 which extends upwardly through a round guide opening 28 in the latch plate 24 so that when the 35 latch plate moves longitudinally, the locking disc must also move therewith. The slide 22 maintains a keyway member 29 in place over the key ,slot 30 in the boss 2'I of the locking d isc 26.

A leaf spring 3| bears against the periphery of 40 ,the locking disc .and at the locked and unlocked positions thereof engages notches 32 and 33, respectively, formed therein. A leaf spring 3'I constantly urges the latch plate 24 toward the cam I8.

The above described mechanism is carried on the outer frame member I Il. The inner frame member of the travelling bag II) carries a receiving member, as shown in Fig. 8, consisting of a plate 34 having a notch 35 formed therein for 50 receiving the locking lever I6. This plate is formed with a' pocket 36 to one side of the notch 35 for receiving and enclosing the extremity of the lever I6 when in the locked position.

Let us assume that the handle of the catch :Is 55 'in the position of Fig. 3, and the two sides of the bag frame are brought together. This will allow the extremity of the lever I6 to enter the notch 35 of the plate 34. Then, as the handle I5 is swimg to the position of Fig. 2, the locking lever I6 will engage the edge of the pocket 3B to act as a lever to draw the two frame members together, as indicated in broken line in Fig. 8. Y

When the two frame members are brought together, the tongue 25 will engage the notch I9 so as to prevent the handle I5 from swinging open,

thus preventing accidental opening of the bag.V

If it is desired to release the catch, it is only necessary to push the slide 22 away from the handle I5. This moves the latch plate 24 so that its tongue 25 willmove from the notch I9, allowing the handle to be freely turned. The handle cannot be swung past the aligned position of Fig. 2, owing to the fact that the points 2I of the cam plate will engage the inside of the housing as `shownin Fig. 6.A

Should it be desired to lock the bag in the latched position, a key is inserted through the key way 29 into the key slot 30, and turned so that the locking disc will move to the position of Fig. 6, in which position, the edge of the disc will engage the end of the housing II so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of the latch plate 24.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1. A latch for traveling bags and the like comprising a latch housing; means for attaching said housing to the outer frame member of said bag; a latch shaft extending through said housing into said bag; a cam lever on the inner extremity of said latch shaft; a receiving member on the inner frame member of said bag; a handle for rotating said shaft so that said cam lever will engage said receiving member to draw the two frame members of said bag together; a latch cam carried by said latch shaft; a sliding latch plate; and a tongue on said latch plate engaging a notch in said latch cam to lock said handle in the closed position.

2. A latch for traveling bags and the like comprising a latch housing; means for attaching said housing to the outer frame member of said bag; a latch shaft extending through said housing into said bag; a cam lever on the inner extremity of said latch shaft; a receiving member on the inner frame member of said bag; a handle for rotating said shaft so that said cam lever will engage said receiving member to draw the two frame members of said bag together; a latch cam carried by said latch shaft; a sliding latch plate; a tongue on said latch plate engaging a notch in said latch cam to lock said handle in the closed position; and means for preventing longitudinal movement of said latch plate when desired.

3. A latch for traveling bags and the like comprising a latch housing; means for attaching said housing to the outer frame member of said bag; a latch shaft extending through said housing into said bag; a cam lever on the inner extremity oi said latch shaft; a receiving member on the inner 10 frame member of said bag; a handle for rotating said shaft so that said cam lever will engage said receiving member to draw the two frame members of said bag together; a latch cam carried by said latch shaft; a sliding latch plate; a tongue on said 15 latch plate engaging a notch in said latch cam to lock said handle in the closed position; and a locking disc carried by said latch plate and provided with means for receiving a key, said locking disc having an irregular periphery so that when 20 in one position, it will engage said housing to prevent longitudinal movement of said latch plate.

4. A latch for traveling bags and the like comprising a latch housing; means for attaching said housing to the outer frame member of said bag; a 25 latch shaft extending through said housing into said bag; a cam lever on the inner extremity of said latch shaft; a receiving member on the inner frame member of said bag; a handle for rotating said shaft so that said cam lever will en- 30 gage said receiving member to draw the two frame members of said bag together; a latch cam carried by said latch shaft; a sliding latch plate;

a tongue on said latch plate engaging a notch in said latch cam to lock said handle in the 35 closed position; a slide on the exterior of said housing; tongues formed on said slide, said tongues extending through elongated openings ln said housing and through openings in said latch plate, thence turned over the inner surface of '0 the latter to hold it in place.

5. A latch for traveling bags and the like comprising a latch housing; means for attaching said housing to the outer frame member of said bag;

a latch shaft extending through said housing into ,15 said bag; a cam lever on the inner extremity of said latch shaft; a receiving member on the inner frame member of said bag; a handle for rotating said shaft so that said cam lever will engage said receiving member to draw the two frame members 5() of said bag together; a latch cam carried by said latch shaft; a sliding latch plate; a tongue on said latch plate engaging a notch in said latch cam to lock sai-d handle in the closed position; a locking disc; a cylindrical boss formed on said locking 55 Y disc and passing into a receiving opening in said latch plate, there being a keyway extending through said boss and through said disc for rotating the latter.

MAURICE B. SHWAYDER. 60 PETER F. ELZI. 

